1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a micro chemical apparatus which is used as a component to perform mixing or a reaction involving mixing in the equipment for producing materials and products using the mixing or a reaction involving mixing of fluids in the fields of chemical industry, pharmaceutical industry and the like, or for analyzing diffusion coefficients and reaction rate constants of target materials in the field of analytical instrument industry. More particularly, the present invention relates to a micro chemical apparatus in which a plurality of fluids are introduced into a channel to perform mixing or a reaction involving mixing (hereinafter referred to as a mixing/reaction channel) through each supply port; the fluids are allowed to flow in the mixing/reaction channel as thin-layer flows; and as a result, the fluids are mixed with each other or allowed to mix and react with each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
A micro chemical apparatus, which is characterized by a small apparatus size and a large surface area per unit volume, has advantages such as excellent heat transfer performance in material, safety and reduction of sample consumption. From these advantages, the micro chemical apparatus is useful for producing chemical products and for using it as a device for determining reaction rate constants and for chemical synthesis.
As shown in FIG. 13A, a conventional micro chemical apparatus 101 has a structure with a channel 102 surrounded by a side wall 103, comprising two entrances and one exit. Fluid A and fluid B as raw materials are charged into the micro chemical apparatus 101 from raw material inlet ports 105a and 105b. The fluid A and the fluid B as unmixed raw materials and a product are discharged from an outlet port 106. More specifically, the fluid A as a raw material is charged from the raw material inlet port 105a. The fluid B as a raw material is charged from the raw material inlet port 105b. The reference numeral 104 designates a supply wall.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-282682 discloses an example of a micro chemical apparatus provided with two entrances and two exits. A reaction channel is formed to have an inner diameter of 100 μm or less, which is within the range where a laminar flow condition can be maintained. However, it has not a structure in which the shape or the like of an outlet port can be changed.
National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2003-502144 discloses an example of a micro chemical apparatus for mixing or diffusing two fluids.
Wolfgang Ehrfeld, Volker Hessel Holger Lowe, “Microreactors—New Technology for Modern Chemistry—”, WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH, March 2000, p. 64-65 describes a single mixer available from IMM (Institute of Microtechnology Mainz) GmbH, which is an example of a micro chemical apparatus for mixing or diffusing two fluids.